Government says Energy 2000 programme saved jobs, energy

The federal authorities describe their now completed Energy 2000 programme as a success, saying it has saved thousands of jobs and led to more efficient use of energy resources.

The federal authorities describe their now completed Energy 2000 programme as a success, saying it has saved thousands of jobs and led to more efficient use of energy resources.

The project was launched in 1997 as part of a major government investment programme aimed at helping breathe new life into the flagging Swiss economy.

Taking stock of Energy 2000 on Friday, the Energy Ministry said the project helped save or create a total of 4,600 jobs and triggered investments of SFr960 million ($607 million) in the past two years.

The ministry described the programme as a success since it had created more jobs and far more investment than originally anticipated.

Most of the money flowed into the construction industry, particularly improved heating insulation of buildings. Those upgrades led to energy savings of up to 63 percent, according to the authorities.

Other investments went towards more efficient oil burners and the use of renewable energy resources.

Over the next 25 years, the measures taken will lead to annual savings of 700 terajoule, which is the equivalent of heating energy consumed by a town of 6,000 inhabitants. Electricity consumption will be reduced by 28 terajoule each year – the consumption of about 3,000 people.

The ministry conceded that the overall saving effect was less than expected, but it blamed the result on the relatively short time that the programme had been running.

Ministry officials said the results were nevertheless encouraging and should provide an important boost for further similar projects.

From staff and wire reports.